My Day is Made; In Treatment is Back!
After Season 2 of In Treatment, there was talk that Gabriel Byrne was finished and wouldn’t be signing on for another year. No disrespect to the guy, but this was one of those moves I just couldn’t understand. Was he leaving to finally become the cinema star that he almost was for years and years and years before HBO snagged him up? Maybe. But come on–the chances of landing a role with the amount of screen time as Paul’s, of finding material as rich or a part so meaty are infinitesimal. Let’s just be honest here. Not only would he be secure (at least for another year or two) in In Treatment, but he’d continue to be a part of something truly special, something milestone-y. Am I crazy? But, who knows, maybe he knew more than we did and was worried about the show’s direction. Or maybe I’m just not a risk-taker.
Either way, none of that matters now with word that HBO has renewed the show for a third season with Byrne signed on to star, Paris Barclay to continue lead-directing, and Dan Futterman (Capote) and his wife Anya Epstein to write. You can’t see me but behind my folding table and laptop and stereo pumping out some jazz piano, I’m dancing right now. (completely unrelated sidenote: remember HamsterDance?!?)
(related sidenote: This news is everywhere today but I saw it first on What’s Alan Watching? If you’re interested in TV analysis and discussion, this is definitely the place to be. The guy’s write-ups on Mad Men alone every week are enough to make you fall in love with the medium.)
Shows like In Treatment are why I love TV and movies. No exaggeration. They’re the things that bring me back and keep me on my toes, surprised and humbled and always thinking. And they’re the things that make HBO so completely beyond compare on the small screen. Although–and here’s my obligatory pessimistic aside–I will admit, I always get wary hearing that a show I love is coming back after it has a knockout season. Season 2 was absolutely incredible, and I mean incredible, but the way it ended and what it had to say about therapy and its characters – I mean, honestly, how many times can Paul say “screw therapy” then go back to Gina, then renounce her, then go back again before we start wondering if the back and forth is little more than dramatic filler?
Still, I can’t imagine the show–and intensely don’t want to–without Dianne Wiest in it. She’s integral, not just an amazing character and actress but goes toe-to-toe with Paul in a way that’s almost always–always–fascinating to watch. So I’m not going to worry until there’s something to worry about. I love this show too much to tarnish its rep.
At this point I know I’m probably all boring and broken record, but really, if HBO were a woman…whew.. This network gives me butterflies.
Season 3 is scheduled to start shooting next year for episodes to air late ‘10. (can I say ‘10? does it have to be 2010? what’s decorum here?)
The first season of In Treatment is available now and Season 2 is tentatively set to release in December. You can pre-order that masterwork here.
This entry was posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm and is filed under television. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
